'He’s got a chip on his shoulder': Mews shows out on G-Day
'He’s got a chip on his shoulder': Mews shows out on G-Day
ATHENS — Georgia reserve wide receiver Mekhi Mews had himself a game on G-Day.
Mews led the Black team in receptions and receiving yards on Saturday. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound wideout caught four passes on six targets for 91 yards and a score. Mews also had a 98-yard punt returned for a touchdown. but it didn’t count as a score in the scrimmage.
"Mews does that every day. He is a guy that last year kept getting really close to being able to play and help us,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “He was on the scout team so I had seen him make plays on scout team. We put him in a couple of guys as the returner. Very sure handed, makes good decisions, you saw today he's got some return ability. Exciting, and you get what you get from Mews every day. The guy is a worker. I thought he made some plays today with his feet and made some really tough catches.”
Mews signed with the Bulldogs as a part of their 2021 recruiting class. He also came in as a preferred walk-on and has been working with the scout team for the past two years.
In 2021, Mews redshirted but helped Georgia prep for a national title run. His hard work earned the respect of the coaching staff, which led to limited playing time last year.
Bulldogs’ redshirt sophomore quarterback Brock Vandagriff came in with Mews in 2021. The Bogart, Ga., native also spent that season with Mews on the scout team that season. He and Mews developed a tight relationship through that over the past few years.
“So, today was probably the first time y’all got to see Mews get after it, but we’ve been watching that for about 15 practices,” Vandagriff said. “That kid is going to go out there and give it all he’s got. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and he’s always wanting to do well.”
Mews is a native of nearby Gwinnett County. He started out his high school career at Grayson, although he transferred to Central Gwinnett, where he graduated from in 2021.
Mews was an All-Region First Team, First Team All-County and an All-State First Team Offense (Recruit Georgia) selection. He was also named the Region 8-7A Player of the Year and Gwinnett County Wide Receiver of the Year during his senior season in 2021.
The preferred walk-on wideout and punt returner was also a multi-sport athlete in high school. Mews played baseball at Central Gwinnett under former head coach Eli Autry.
“He’s a leader on and off the field,” Autry said of Mews. “He’s a fantastic young man. He’s also someone you want in your dugout or on your field. He is going to be that guy. Whenever something goes awry, Mekhi is going to be the one that is level-headed.”
On the gridiron, Mews hauled in 75 receptions for 1065 yards and six scores as a senior at Central Gwinnett. He was also the team’s primary punt and kick returner in 2020.
Mews was also a standout on the diamond as well. He was versatile playing at various positions. Also, during his senior year, Mews batted around .300 and consistently got on base.
“He was a lot of fun to coach. I can tell you that,” Autry said. “He hadn’t picked up a baseball and came out his senior season, which is when he led the team in triples with nine. We weren’t playing little boy baseball, either. He was absolutely smoking the baseball.”
Georgia’s wide receivers’ room is loaded, especially with transfers Dominic Lovett and RaRa Thomas. Plus, returnees such as Ladd McConkey, Dillon Bell and Arian Smith.
Regardless, Autry believes Mews can compete for playing time with those guys on the field.
“When in doubt, get the ball in his hands,” Autry said. “He’s going to make something happen. There’s a reason why Mekhi was named Region Player of the Year a few years ago.
“You’ve got to think about the region we were in. We were in there with schools such as Buford and Brookwood,” he added. “For them to say that he is the most dynamic player on the field in that region, it should tell you something. He was a game-changer.”
According to Autry, Mews had a couple of offers from “mid-major” schools, but he was going to choose the school that best set him up for success, which happened to be UGA.
“At the time, we actually sat down and talked about it,” Autry said. “I told him that wherever you feel like is going to be home for him for the next four years, you need to go.”
Despite Mews being a bit undersized, he displays a lot of heart on the field. His work ethic doesn’t get overlooked, and he’s already made quite the name for himself in the locker room. However, he finally got to display it on the field for Georgia fans on G-Day.
“I’m ready for the season for him,” Bulldog wide receiver Arian Smith said. “He’s going to be good, man. Ya’ll have now seen him just like I have. He’s got a lot of heart.”
Mews and Autry still have a strong relationship and talk often. His former coach is now the head baseball coach at McEachern High School in Cobb County, although Autry still tries to get to Athens every chance he gets to cheer on the Bulldogs and Mews.
“I was texting with him just a little bit ago, and he told me he isn’t even at 100 percent right now,” Autry said. “He’s been at about 80 percent through the spring, which if he tells me that, I would believe him. He’s not going to lie to you. Mekhi is just that kind of kid.”
